Sterling managed to ripple Salvatore Sirigu's side-netting inside three minutes and in the second half the onslaught continued as Wayne Rooney sneaked into the box, although he could not convert two good chances.

With Uruguay losing their opening game against Costa Rica, they too need to win on Thursday and Hodgson predicts another thrilling match in Sao Paulo.

"It is likely to be a similar encounter to the Italy game. I think it will be cut and thrust," he said.

"There will be two teams, who have lost the opening game and know they have to win the next one."

The good news for England is that Uruguay looked incredibly vulnerable to pace in their shock 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica on Saturday.

Costa Rica, big outsiders to qualify from the group, ruthlessly pulled the Uruguayan defence apart, and Benfica defender Maximiliano Pereira was sent off, meaning he will miss Thursday's game in Sao Paulo.

The bad news for England is that Uruguay striker Luis Suarez is closing in on a return to full fitness after sitting on the bench throughout the Costa Rica loss with a knee injury.

"It would have been very difficult for him to come on," Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said after the defeat.

"We still have four days before we face England. If he improves there is a chance he may play."

Sturridge and Steven Gerrard looked to be struggling at the end of the match, but Hodgson reported no fresh fitness concerns.

England's only injury in Manaus came to physio Gary Lewin, who broke and dislocated his ankle after landing on a water bottle celebrating Sturridge's equaliser.

Hodgson's only other concern is that some of his players suffered cramp in the dying stages of the Italy match.

"Quite a few of our players cramped up. That is something we will look into," Hodgson said.

"We have worked very hard on hydration and we still did cramp up quite a lot."

England landed back in their Rio base on Sunday morning. They will train at their Urca base on Monday and Tuesday before flying to Sao Paulo the day before the match.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stepped up his rehabilitation from a knee injury over the weekend and he could be in the frame to face Uruguay.